Meet Our Dedicated Team of Professionals
At Sandhills Credit Union, our success is driven by the unwavering commitment and expertise of our exceptional employees. Our team is comprised of passionate professionals who are dedicated to providing outstanding financial services and building meaningful relationships with our members.
Executive Leadership
Becky Ellis, Chief Executive Officer
Becky is an accomplished senior executive with over twenty years of experience in the financial services industry. She has extensive senior level experience in retail banking, lending, operations, and wealth management with a proven track record of spearheading change that delivers significant long-term value. Before coming to work with Sandhills Credit Union, her role was as Director, Member Experience with a mid-sized credit union primarily in Southwestern Ontario. She also held the VP, Operations role for Crime Stoppers, London Elgin and Middlesex. Becky is highly respected for her unwavering focus on members’ needs and for collaborating with community and stakeholders.
Becky is dedicated to ensuring that we remain true to Sandhill’s values while honouring the culture that has been built over many years. “Banking is a people business, and strong commitment to members, employees, and community will continue to be our focus.”
Nicole Stimson, Chief Operating Officer
nicole.stimson@sandhillscu.com
Nicole has over 15 years’ experience with the Credit Union. Nicole started as a Member Service Representative and was promoted to lead the Member Service team. Nicole continued to grow into more senior roles within Sandhills as the Operations Manager, and most recently Chief Operating Officer. Nicole is accredited in Member Service, Member Service Supervision and Human Resource Management through The Credit Union Institute of Canada. Nicole also obtained her Investment Funds In Canada certification. As a community minded and family oriented person, Nicole leads with enthusiasm and empathy, keeping her team, the members and the Leader Community as her top priorities.
Lending Team
Pam Ristau, Manager of Lending
Pam has over 40 years of experience with in-depth knowledge and expertise in commercial and agricultural lending. Pam has earned strong and loyal relationships with her members by providing sound and trusted financial advice for many years. As Manager of Lending, Pam is the senior lender in the branch and as a natural and engaged mentor, Pam leads the lending team with enthusiasm, a strategic mindset and with the Sandhills Credit Union’s core values at the forefront. When asked about Pam, her members have said “Pam understands my business and truly cares about my financial wellbeing.”
Bobbi Sitter, Senior Lending Officer
Bobbi joined Sandhills Credit Union in September 2008, and since then, she has consistently demonstrated her commitment to excellence and professional growth. Throughout her tenure, Bobbi has held various roles within the credit union, including MSR, Administration Officer, Lending Clerk, and most recently, Lending Officer 1. Her experience and expertise have been instrumental in the success of our lending operations.
One of Bobbi’s remarkable qualities is her continuous pursuit of knowledge and professional development. She has earned certifications in Ag Financial Analysis, Commercial and Financial Analysis, and Law of Lending in the Ag Sector. Currently, she is working diligently towards her certification in Professional and Business Development with the Canadian Credit Union Association. Bobbi’s dedication to expanding her skills and staying updated with industry trends demonstrates her commitment to providing exceptional service to our members.
Bobbi’s passion lies in working on agricultural and commercial deals, where she truly excels. Her deep understanding of these sectors, combined with her expertise in financial analysis, makes her an invaluable asset to our organization and our members. Furthermore, her personal background growing up on a grain and cattle family farm provides her with a unique perspective and insight into the needs of our agricultural members.
Beyond her professional achievements, Bobbi is an active and engaged member of our community. In 1995, she moved to Leader to pursue figure skating, and to this day, she dedicates her time to coaching the Leader Skating School kids. Her commitment to supporting the growth and development of young skaters demonstrates her exceptional character and community spirit.
Miranda Hanna, Lending Services Clerk
Miranda has 16 years financial experience holding a variation of roles including Member Service Rep, Account Manager and Lending Services Clerk. Miranda has continued her education in the financial services industry by completing courses with Dalhousie University and the Canadian Credit Union Association. Community values are important to Miranda and she dedicates a lot of her own time volunteering and contributing to the Leader community.
Member Services
Cora Walker, Member Service Supervisor
Cora has been with Sandhills Credit Union for over 20 years, starting as a Member Service Representative and now she leads the Member Service team as the Member Service Supervisor. Cora has accreditations in Member Services, Deposits Services, Fraud Prevention and Cyber Security. Cora leads her team with enthusiasm, compassion, and positivity and is a respected leader amongst her team. Cora and her family are long time members of the Leader Community and Cora is a strong community contributor and advocate, participating in many community boards and organizations over the years. Cora is an avid reader and loves spending time at her family cottage. In her spare time Cora enjoys family time with her husband of over 30 years and 2 grown children, as well as baking, live music, and playing board games and cards.
Cari Wilkinson, Financial Service Officer
Cari brings with her a wealth of knowledge and experience in financial services. Prior to joining Sandhills Credit Union in 2018, Cari was at CIBC for 13 years in various roles, including Branch Manager. Cari’s expertise, dedication to the wellbeing of our members, and her kind and generous personality ensures our members not only get a friendly face and an excellent member experience, but Cari offers smart and personalized advice that help our members achieve their financial goals.
Trina Steinkey, Financial Service Officer
During her time with Sandhills Credit Union, Trina has consistently demonstrated her dedication and member-centric approach. Her ability to quickly grasp complex financial concepts and provide exceptional service has made her a valuable asset to our team. Trina’s commitment to our community is also commendable, as she actively participates in volunteer work with 4H and the local library, among other endeavours. Trina is a proud mother of three daughters, Ella, Danielle, and Jaycee, and together with her husband, they enjoy the serenity of their family acreage. Their shared passion for animals extends to their chickens and horses, which bring them joy during their cherished family time.
Penny Sheldon, Senior Member Service Representative
Penny has been an integral part of our team for nearly four years, serving as a dedicated Member Service Representative. Her prior experience in the financial services industry with CIBC has equipped her with valuable knowledge and expertise. Penny’s infectious laughter and unwavering positive outlook bring absolute joy to both our members and our team. Her commitment to providing exceptional service has made her an invaluable asset to Sandhills Credit Union. Beyond her professional achievements, Penny is deeply rooted in the Leader community. She, along with her family, has been a proud member of our community for 20 years. As a devoted wife, mom, and grandma, Penny cherishes her time spent with loved ones. When she finds a moment of free time, she enjoys activities such as planting flowers, camping, painting, doing cross stitch, and embracing the great outdoors with her fur-baby.
Brianna Duchscherer, Member Service Representative
As a proud mom and wife, Brianna embodies the values of family and community that are so important to all of us here at Sandhills Credit Union. We are grateful to have her as part of our close-knit community, where we cherish the bonds we share.
Paige Wenzel, Member Service Representative
Paige is not only a dedicated professional but also a proud and loving mom. Her experience makes her a valuable addition to our team. With her outgoing and friendly personality, Paige is sure to make every member feel welcome and valued.
Administration, Compliance and Risk
Rebecca Eastwood, Manager of Administration, Compliance and Risk
Rebecca has been with Sandhills Credit Union since 2015. Her role is Manager of Administration, Compliance and Risk. Becca leads our administration, compliance, and risk department. She previously held the role of Administration and Compliance Officer. Most of Becca’s work is behind the scenes so even though you may not see her, she is working hard to support our members and team on very important work. Becca was born and raised in Ontario with a Bachelor of Arts from The University of Waterloo. Becca moved to Leader in 2013 and has a strong community mindset and is an active member of the Leader Housing Authority Board. Becca is seen as a leader in the branch and an expert in all things audit, compliance and regulatory related. In her spare time Becca enjoys spending time with her husband and 4-year-old son. Along with a passion for owls, cooking, board games, hunting, fishing, and rock collecting are some of Becca’s favorite past-times.
Cynthia Smith, Service, Support and Administration Officer
Cynthia has been with Sandhills Credit Union since 2017 and is our Service Support and Administration Officer. Cyndi works on the Administration, Compliance and Risk team. Previously Cyndi was a Member Service Representative with Sandhills Credit Union and provided a great deal of administrative support. Cynthia is very knowledgeable in financial services and provides our members with an excellent member experience in every interaction. Cynthia also lends her expertise to other service areas and operations of the branch and is a true team player. Cynthia also leads the Fat Cat program for our young members. Prior to her work with Sandhills Credit Union Cynthia spent 17 years working with Canada Revenue Agency. Cynthia is known for spreading positivity and well-being amongst the team with a kind and generous heart. Cynthia enjoys spending time with her husband, kids, and grandkids.
